Boat propulsion



July 29, 1924. 1,503,232

H. P. EFFERTZ BOAT PROPULS ION Filed May 14, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 29 1924. 1503.232

7 H. P. EFFERTZ BOAT PROPULS ION Filed May 14. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Patented July 29, 1924.

1,503,232 PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY r. EFFERTZ, or UNION HILL, NEW JERSEY.

BOAT PROPULSION.

Application filed May 14, 1923. Serial No. 638,707.

'To all whom it may concern: l

Be it known that I, HARRY P. Errnnrz, a citizen of the United States, residing at Union Hill, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boat Propulsions, of which the following is a specification. p

This invention relates to the propulsion of boats, canoes, or other analogous devices,

7 and has particular reference to means whereby a person may propel a boat by hand operated means applied through simple mechanism including gearing and a rotary propeller as distinguished from the use of cars or paddles, and while the operator is facing toward the bow.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel power transmitting means between the hand operated members and the propeller having facilities for the reversal of the propeller without reversing the direction of movement of the hands.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means acting through the propeller for constituting the same as a brake or speed reducing or direction reversing mechanism, either independently of the hand crank operating means or without reversing the direction of movement of such means.

More specifically, the mechanism includes a peculiarly arranged balance wheel for stabilizing the mechanism and craft operated thereby and also serving to check the speed of the boat by virtue'of the power stored therein during the normal forward operation of the mechanism.

With the foregoing and other objects in view theinvention consists in the arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and while the invention is not restricted to the exact details of construction disclosed or suggested herein, still for the purpose of illustrating a practical embodiment thereof reference is had to the accompanaying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same partsin the several views, and in which' Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating inside elevation the application of my improvement to a canoe. p M

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the main parts of the mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation, partly in section, of the driving head and parts ,journaled therein.

Fig. 4c is a plan view of the power trans section, of

Fig. 6 is fa horizontal sectional detail on p the line 66 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings I show my improved mechanism as comprisin a casing 10 designed to be built or introduced into the bottom of a boat, the casing being preferably of cylindrical form and having a removable cover plate 11 for keeping the parts within the casing suitably lubricated and protected from outside influences or conditions, as well as to protect the operator from contact with the parts within the casing; This casing may be supported and secured in desired position by any suitable means.

J ournaled in a step bearing 12 in the center of the bottom of the casing is a substantially vertical shaft 13 having abearing 14 of any suitable nature in the central hub por tion 15 of the cover plate. Fixed in any suitable manner to this shaft 13 within the casing is a fly wheel 16 operating substantially'in a horizontal plane and of sufficient mass to serve to balance the mechanism and so stabilizethe craft as a result of the rotation thereof in said plane, well down toward the bottom of the boat or the like. Associated with the fly wheel or the shaft 13 is a gear wheel 17, shown as a mitre gear, meshing witha similar gear 18 just back of the shaft. V

Extending upward from the cover plate'is a hollow pedestal 19 bearing at its upper end a hollow head 20 in the nature of a ear casing. "lVithin the pedestal is arranged an exte'nsion13 of the shaft 13, the two parts being connected at a joint 21 near the cover plate. Journaled in the side plates of the head 20 in suitable packed bearings 22 is a shaft 23 to the ends of which are fastened hand cranks 24. Fixed to the shaft'23 within the head is a gear 25 meshing with a pinion 26 on the upper end of the shaft extension 13 whereby with the rotation of thecranks in the most convenient forward direction by the person seated just at the rear ofthe pedestal,

ranged most conveniently for the operator. During normal forward driving operation both hands will of course be applied to the cranks but for the control of the craft either hand may be relied upon to maintain the forward movement in connection with the power stored in the fly wheel. Thus it will be understood that the fly wheel will have a constant direction of movement resulting directly from the forward operation of the cranks as just above indicated. .27 'indicates a rotary propeller of any suitable design or construction fixed upon a propeller shaft 28 extending rearward through a suitably packed housing or gland 29. .30 indicates an auxilliary propeller shaft journaled within the casing 10 in alignment with the propeller shaft 28, the shafts being held in precisealignment by a suitable means such as an extension 31 of one shaft member journaled within a similarly formed socket 32 in the other shaft member. The gear. 18 already described is fixed to the forward end :of the shaft 30 and hence such shaft is always positively driven in a predetermined direction when the fly wheeland its shaft are in motion. Y

As a suitable means to transmit the power from the flywheel and shaft through the m-itre gears aforesaid to the propeller, providing for both the forward and reverse driving effects, I show a double clutch cone splined for sliding but non-rotative coni/ nection with the shaft30. V That is to say,

the cone .33 is free to slide endwise but is .held from rotation independently of the shaft. -,34 'indicates a clutch head fixed in any suitable manner, as by a set screw 35, to the propeller shaft28 at or justback of the joint between the two shafts. 36 indicates a hand'lever suitably-swiveled in the cover plate 11 within easy reach of the operator,

typifying one convenient means for manipulating the clutch mechanism. The opera- ,tion of thislever in a forward direction will effect the movement of the parts in the direction of the arrows at, the clutch cone 33 being thereby shifted rearward, causing the gripping members 37 pivoted to the clutch hub 34 :to make driving connection between the two shafts 28 and 30. The ends of these fingers'may be dropped into a groove 38 making the connection self retaining.

39 indicates another clutchhub journaled normally loosely upon the shaft 30 infront of the cone 33,, but-having a set of fingers 40 *tliroughwhich this hub 39 may be-connected to the shaft 30 when the cone is shifted forward in the direction of the arrow Z). The

clutch fingers 37 will of course then be dis-- connected rotatably from the-cone 41 is g .a counter shaftfl'journaled at one side of the shaft 30-and having at its forward end a small gear-42and atits-rear end a larger gear 43. The latter gear meshes constantly high speed.

with a gear 44 fixed to the clutch hub 34. Fixed to the clutch hub- 39 is a gear 45 which drives the gear 42 through an idler pinion 46 journaled on a stub shaft 47. During the normal forward driving action the gears ust mentioned may all run idly, being driven from the gear 44. \Vhen, however, the

clutch cone is shifted forward according to direction Z) and the clutch hub 39 so connected to the driving shaft 30,. the power coming from or through the fly wheel will be exerted directly upon the propeller 27 through the gears 45, 46, 42, 43, and 44.

From the design of the gears just mentioned fly wheel free to be exerted for the driving of the propeller in this reverse direction at If the power thus stored in the fly wheel is insufficient for stopping or re versing the boat, such power may be au mented by the operation of the cranks in the normal direction. I

' Moreover, for backing the boat or for starting the boat at low speed in the reverse direction the lever 36 will be shifted rearward as just described and power will be applied to the cranks for this purpose. For locking the clutch mechanism in the reverse direction the fingers 40 will .cooperate with the cone in a groove 38.

'Taking advantage of the fact that canoes are ordinarily built. along standard lines or sizes, I have provided a most convenient means of attaching my improvement to a canoe as indicated at C, this means comprising .a section 0 of the canoe hull having associated therewith my improved propelling and reversing mechanism as a unit. This mechanism includes'not only the propeller and operating means therefor but also a balanced rudder 48 connected to a rudder shaft 49 extending upward in the usual man ner. I provide also a guard 50 extending downward and forward beneath the movable parts of the controlling mechan-ismand constituting in effect an extension of the keel piece of the boat. The section a is designed to be attached by means of water tight means into a space out directly out of the boat hull at 5-1, an expedient easily performed by any mechanic or any other person familiar with tools.

The casing 10 and head 20 as well as the pedestal parts between them beingall suitable supply of lubricant in the nature extension of the bearing portion at the bottom of the casing 10. Oil from the cylinder 53 will thus be forced continually through a tube 54 which may'lead upward in any suitable direction to a fork 5 5 whence the oil is delivered to the two bearings 22 at i the head and thence it will drain back again past the step bearing 12 adjacent to the pinion 26 and through the pedestal so as to lubricate the gears 17 and 18 as well as the other parts within the casing, and

return finally into the cylinder 53 through a port 56. The lubricating system therefore will be both automatic and dependable, making the mechanism easily operatable for a long period of time without attention,

In connection with the clutch mechanism for controlling the reversing of the power it is to be noted that the driving connection between the stored power of the fly wheel and the propeller is frictional and not positive, rendering it impossible forany breakage or other disaster to the mechanism to result from a too sudden application of the stored power for reversing .or speed checking purposes. In other words, in the event of an emergency demanding the reversing or stopping of the machine, the operator will simply throw the lever 36 rearward without being requiredto give careful attention to the speed with which he makes such lever movement, andthe stored power of the fly wheel will operate practically automatioally for producing the desired result.

I claim:

1. In propulsion mechanism, the combination with a casing, of a fly wheel mounted horizontally in thecasing, a vertical shaft fixed to the fly wheel, a vertical tubular standard on the casing, a vertical drive shaft in the standard coupled to the fly wheel shaft, a pinion fixed to turn with the. fly wheel, a propeller shaft projecting into the casing, a pinion meshing with the first mentioned pinion, an auxiliary shaft fixed to the last mentioned pinion and in line with the propeller shaft, and clutch mechanism in the casing connecting the last mentioned shaft with the auxiliary shaft.

2. In propulsion mechanism, the combination with a casing, of a fly wheel mounted horizontally in the casing, a vertical shaft fixed to the fly wheel, a vertical tubular standard on the casing, a vertical drive shaft in the standard coupled to the fly wheel shaft, a pinion fixed to turn with' the fly wheel, a propeller shaft projecting into the casing, a pinion meshing with the first mentioned pinion, an auxiliary shaft fixed to the last mentioned pinion and in line with the propeller shaft, clutch mechanism in the casing connecting the last mentioned shaft with the auxiliary shaft, a lever fulcrumed in the top of the casing and controlling the clutch.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HARRY P. EFFER-TZ. 

